GM Temporarily Halts Production of BrightDrop Electric Vans

In 2024, General Motors made a bold decision regarding its BrightDrop branch, which specializes in electric delivery vans. While it had previously been a standalone brand within the larger company, it would henceforth be a part of Chevrolet. The vans themselves have received high marks, with Electrek’s Jo Borrás hailing them as a tremendous value for business owners looking to go electric.

Unfortunately for GM, sales concerns have prompted the company to idle the Ontario plant where the electric vans are produced. CNBC’s Michael Wayland reports that the stoppage will go into effect in May and run through October; when production resumes, roughly 500 jobs will no longer exist.

According to Electrek, production will begin on the 2026 model year BrightDrop in October.

If you’re wondering if tariffs are to blame for this, due to the factory’s location in Canada, CNBC’s reporting says otherwise. “This adjustment is directly related to responding to market demand and re-balancing inventory,” General Motors told the outlet in a statement.

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The union representing workers at the plant argued that GM’s decision doesn’t mesh with prevailing industry trends. “Global demand for last-mile delivery vehicles is only growing,” said Unifor Local 88 CAMI Plant Chairperson Mike Van Boekel. “Our members have the skill, the experience, and the pride to build world-class electric vehicles right here in Canada — all we need is the opportunity to keep doing it.”

Unifor National President Lana Payne made a patriotic appeal in the hopes of heightening BrightDrop’s presence in Canada. “The BrightDrop electric delivery van is built in Canada by Canadian workers — it’s the smart choice for Canadian business, government agencies and for our economy,” she said. Tariffs might not be behind the BrightDrop’s sales woes, but Canadian economic populism might work to rev up sales.